Tire manipulating device



5 l2, i954 E. A. @LYNN 665,83

TIRE MANIPULATING DEVICE.

Filed Aug. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l W//l/m ATroRNEYs Jan. l2, 11.3954 E, A @LYNN 2,665,883

TIRE MANIPULATING' DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 10a 7 gm l O 010@ Zdwzzz .5.GZy2l2 I5 /0 I3 h ,4 Wfl I5 4 15 zo fo@ 9 S 10 I ATTOR N EY5 Patented Jan. 12, 1954 TIRE MANIPULATING DEVICE Edwin A. Glynn, Lodi, Calif., assignor to Super Mold Corporation of California, Lodi, Calif., a

corporation of California Application August Z8, 1950, Serial No. 181,826

(Cl. 25d-50.3)

1 claim. l

' This invention relates in 'general to the art of tire retreading; the term retreadingf as used herein being intended to include tread replacement by top capping, full capping, or full retreading. y

In retreading tires, especially those of large size, it is diicult-under ordinary practice-to insert the tire in the open circular half of the mold which includes av matrix half to initially receive said tire, and equally diilicult to remove the tire therefrom after vulcanization; both by reason of the fact that the tire fits tightly in place in each instance. The unvulcanized new tread material causes the tight t in the matrix at the outset, and the molded tread portion makes tire removal from the matrix difficult after of the tire to position in or to remove it fromv the mold.

The invention further provides, as an important object, a device as above which includes novel, power actuated mechanism operative `to engage and axially separate the tire beads; such separation having the effect of reducing the overall-diameter of lthe tire.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device, Ias in the preceding paragraph,

wherein said mechanism embodies axially alned spiders having bead engaging elements on the outer ven'ds of the spider arms, and a power cylinder connecting said spiders in a manner to causeforceful relative axial separating motion thereof, whereby to spread the engaged tire beads and reduce the eiective diameter of the tire.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a tire manipulating device which is designed for ease "and economy of manufacture; the device being' 'simple in structure but sturdy, and convenient to operate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable tire manipulating device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully yappear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the device,

with the spiders as in starting or engaged tion.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the tire manipulating device comprises an upstandingyiluid .pressure energized cylinder of double-acting type, indicated generally at l; suchlpower cylinder including an upper end head 2, and a lower end head 3. The upper end head 2 is fitted with a lift eye 4 adapted to connect with the hoist which retreading molds 'conventionally include above the latter.

A piston 5 travels in the cylinder, and a piston rod 6 projects downwardly from the piston f5 through the lower end head 3.

The lower end head 3 -provides the hub or support for the upper spider, indicated generally at 1, while a lower spider, indicated generally at 8; is secured by means of a hub 9 to the outer end of the piston rod 6. With this arrangement the upper and lower spiders 1 Iand 8, respectivelyfare horizontally disposed in axial alinementybut re1- atively rotatable.

Each of the spiders includes a plurality of equally circumferentially spaced spider arms I0; These arms are of constant cross sectional size" throughout their length and include sleeves lila adjustably slidable thereon and projectingy from' the outer end thereof. Each sleeve is maintained in adjusted position on its arm by a thumb.. screw II, and said arm being scaled, as at I2, for tire size.

The spidergsleeves la, of the upper spider 1= are tted, at their outer ends and on the under side, with segmental, outwardly projecting beadl said valve is readily manually accessible at all times.

The numeral 22 indicates generally the tire to l Y be retreaded, such tire having the new tread material or Camelback 23 thereon, and the tire including upper and lower beads 24 and 25, re-

spectively. Y

The purpose of the herein described tire manipulating device is to facilitate insertion 'of the tire 22 in the lower matrix half 26 which is carried in the lower circular half 2111 eff the retreadingf moldsuch inatrixC halff- 216 and lower circulan halflZ'I- of the' mold being exposed from above when' the latteris'- open.

the` tire 22 with theeca'melback 23'thereon has a very tight t in the lowerV matrix half Elf, it'- is= di'flcultto insert the tire prior to vulcanization, and; toi remove it after the retreading process isv completed.

To aid in such insertion and removal of" the tire;- the: describedl tire manipulating device is brought. into play;` the: piston 5 being initially retracted so that the spiders I and 8 are close together,y as' in Fig; 3.

With! the sleeves I 0a adjusted to length on the spider` arms; theY top bead engaging flanges l@ are engaged under the upper bead 24 ofY the tire; while: th'e lower bead engagingv flanges I4 aref'engagedonf the lowerbead; 25 of said' tire; ii e. botlr beads are engaged inside.

The' power cylinderi I is then actuated to ad` vance the pistoni 5 and piston rod 6, which results in forceful separation of the' spiders 'I and a, together with the engagedv beads'y 24- and 25; the separation; being greater than the normal spacing between said beads.. Withr such abnorma'lzspa'cing of the beads 24 and 25', there is a resultantl reduction in ther outside diameter of they tire 22", sothat such` tire may then. be lowered by thefeye: 4 and hoist into the-matrix 26 without sticking or binding.

The notch-like openings I5 which exist betweenthe outer ends of the sleeves Illaof the lower spider 8 is for the purposel of permitting the lower bead 24S-to engage about. the lower half 28h o atwo-part curing rim, and so asvto 'readily' locate-Tthedevice'on the tire.. A, rim. of this charatelier isf showrr in. U.. Si.` Patent No. 2,077,506; and the other half. of the: curing rimA (not shown? is positioned in the tire after.' the latter is engagediv in thel lower matrix half 26.

After the tire has been reduced in effective outside diameter by spreading of the beads, and ei'xgagedA in: the lower matrix half; 26', the power cylinder I: is reversed in operation,V retracting the piston rod 6,. and returning thespiders 'II and 8 to their closely adjacent position, whence they are removed from the tire preparatory to closing of the mold.

After the retread operation is completed, the tread design as vulcanized into the Camelback 23 tends to cause the tire to stick in the lower matrix half 26, and here again the described tire manipulating, device comes. into', play to facilitate". remoyall oul the tire..

To remove the tire from the lower matrix half, the above described operation, with respect to insertion of the tire, is merely repeated but in remerse;i I

Whenin use the device is properly centered r in. the tire', by reason of the fact that the outer ends ofthe sleeves I0a of the upper spider 'I abut against the base of the upper bead 24 at cireumferentally spaced points.

Withthe described tire manipulating device,

' vehicle tiresespecially of large heavy-duty size-may be readily and conveniently inserted in orremovedffromja tireretreading mold.

From theforegoing description it will bereadily' seen that there has been produced such` a device as substantiallyffullls the objects of the invention, as set forth herein. g

While specification sets forth iny detailjthe present and preferred construct-ion ofthe device'. still in practicesuch deviations from4 such detail mayl be resorted toasdo not form a departure from they spirit of the invention, as dened' by 'the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, thev fol'- lowing is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired: A device for spreading the beads of ahorizontally disposed tirecomprising upperan'd" lower axially separable radial units adapted: to aline 'with the innerl faces` of' the corresponding tire beads, power means connected to: said units' to cause relative separation thereof. wherebyto irrcrease the spacingofthe tire beads .when engaged by' the units, the upper 'unitincluding means to engage the upper bead in lifting relation;A and the lower unit including a plural-ity of" circumferentially-1 spaced radial arms adapted. to ter-'- minateadi'acent the base ofthe lowerv tire beadI and annular flanges depending from the upper ed'getof` said arms to4 engage the upper; surface ot thelower'tire bead;v said annular flangesbeing: spaced radially out from the outerV end' of said arms and forming downwardlyl opening notches therewith..

EDWIN A. GLYNN;

References Cited' the file of this patente STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 1 ,288333 Stevens Dec.. 2.4,' 1918. 1,908,311 B ranick May' 9, V19331 2,073,516 Bishman Mar. 9;. 1.93.11* 2,250,740 Anderson July 29; 1941:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 592255K Great Britain Sept. 22 11347.- 

